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Chapter 29
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Time Traveler’s Wife, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Here and Now
Love and Absence
Free Will vs. Determinism
Language and Art
Self-Love
Summary
Analysis
Sunday, October 12, 2003 (Clare is 32, Henry is 40). Clare reflects on how thankful she feels when Henry is out of the house. She has grown to enjoy her solitude and the moments where no one is touching her or requiring her attention. Clare often visits friends or takes Alba on a stroll when Henry is away. During one of his longer travel episodes, she remembers, she even managed to take a trip to her family home in Michigan and return home without Henry knowing. Though Clare enjoys this new sense of freedom, she is thankful every time Henry returns.
Whereas before Clare pined after Henry while he was away traveling, now, she also values their time apart. She, like Henry, has come to recognize the importance of self-care. She also seems to have accepted that Henry will never be cured of his time traveling, and because of this, it’s essential that she learns to weather her time alone and find it meaningful.
Themes
